Homesick
by la-charmante
Summary: Wade buys Zoe a birthday present. One-shot. Set sometime during their "out in public, everyone knows about, actual boyfriend" time, which was far too short lived.


_Author's note: I do not own anything. I hope you enjoy this. & __reviews make me smile._

* * *

_Homesick_

Staring out the cabin window, Zoe remembers her drive to the airport with Wade just a week ago and tries to stifle a laugh. She had made sure to bring up his old friend the _"bag guy", _to which he had promptly told her to shut up (just like she knew he would) as he had reached over to interlace their fingers on the gearshift. She hadn't really wanted to go back to New York for her 29th birthday, but endless phone calls and guilt inducing voicemails courtesy of her mother had eventually left her no choice. When the time had come for her to board, Wade had stood with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his worn jeans as she stretched onto her tiptoes to press her lips to his. It had been his sweet last kiss on her cheek when they had broken apart that had her boarding the plane with stupid butterflies in her stomach.

One birthday cake, two new Chloe dresses and three too many explanations as to why she was still a general practitioner in a town named _"What? Bluebell?"_ and here she was anxious to feel the wheels of the plane hit the runway.

It has only been seven days but she finds she misses her old carriage house in the middle of nowhere. Who would have thought that finding her way back to a small Alabama town, without a sushi place or a decent shoe store, would have her so excited? But finally off the plane and coming through the arrival gate, she thinks it probably also has a lot to do with a certain perpetual plaid wearing person she's scanning the small crowd for. She suddenly spots her 6 and a half feet tall best friend and she hopes she did a good enough job at hiding her slight disappointment, because she truly is happy to see Lavon. He wraps her in a hug and as her feet leave the ground she pushes at his shoulders with a squeak and a smile.

"Lavon! It's great to see you too, but please put me down!"

"Big Z, I am hurt!" He feigns with an all too knowing smile as he sets her down and she runs her hands over her now crinkled blouse. Nothing gets by Lavon Hayes, he makes sure to remind her of that. "Wade had to cover for Wanda," he winks at her as he grabs the handle of her suitcase from her. "But c'mon now, I'm still a good face to see on homecoming!"

_Homecoming. _The word echoes in her mind the entire drive to the plantation.

* * *

Finally back in her carriage house, she is putting away the last of her clothes when she hears a knock at her door.

"It's open!" When she catches the unmistakable sound of boots on her creaky floor, she pushes her dresser drawer closed and her lips curve upward. Mere seconds later, she feels the recognizable warmth of Wade's body behind hers as his arms wrap themselves around her waist. She instinctively leans back into his embrace, because_ this_ is what she's been missing.

"Well, look who's back," he breathes into her neck, his stubble tickling her skin.

She twists in his hold and looks up at his face, her eyes immediately landing upon a tiny new scar above his eyebrow. She lightly brushes her fingers over it. "Hey," she says and it comes out far more breathy than she intended it to. He definitely notices (she can tell by the smirk on his lips), which is why she doesn't feel it inappropriate to curl her fingers into his belt loops to tug him closer and press that infuriating mouth to hers. It's been seven days after all. She breathes in the familiar scent of flannel, cologne and something that is _so_ uniquely him and hums in response. This only makes his grin grow wider against her lips and his arms wrap a little tighter around her waist.

"Hey," he finally gets a chance to say when they break apart to catch their breaths. Her hands slide down his neck and idly begin playing with the chain hanging around his neck.

"So, anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

"Just the same old stuff, Doc. I mixed some truly outstanding drinks." She laughs and pushes at his chest, forcing him to take a step back. "Naturally, got hit on a couple of times." The tips of their noses graze as she brings her face closer to his.

"That's all?" She manages to undo the first button on his shirt.

"And maybe I missed you. Just a little bit." His breath ghosts against her lips right before he closes the distance between them again. Zoe tries to make quick work of the rest of the buttons on his shirt, but his hands cover hers before she is through with the third.

"Mmm wait." He reluctantly pulls back as though he's suddenly remembered something important. He sits down on the bed and Zoe stares at him stupidly, because Wade never says _wait _when they are in situations like this. "I got you somethin'." He shifts so as to reach into his pant's pocket and her eyes follow his hand till a small box is being extended to her.

"What's this?" She probes as she arches a perfectly plucked eyebrow at him and sits down next to him. "Oh no. Are you getting me things because you lost my car again?" She knows that was a dumb thing to say, but that's easier than having to accept what this really was: a birthday present. She could tell from the _"happy birthday doc"_ scrawled on top of the box. She has the steadiest hands a surgeon could hope for, but when she almost reaches for the box he is holding out her hand falters and she quickly places it back in her lap. Wade rolls his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips, as if he's grown accustomed to this exact panic from her. He grabs her hand and places the box in her palm himself.

"Doc, you know it's not gonna bite you." He pokes at her leg and she finally lifts the lid.

It's the old rational and calculated part of her brain that is panicking. The part of her that is still somehow at war with this new life she is building for herself. _Bluebell. Family doctor. Dating a bartender._ This guy sitting across from her, who she asked a mere couple months ago to be her out in public boyfriend (truth be told, he's sometimes felt like more than that label could convey for a much longer time now), is not New York. Not even close. She's also sure that Wade has never done the serious relationship thing before, let alone bought anybody a gift like this. Ever. But he is doing it now. For her. And that means a lot more than anything. Something as unassuming as this necklace sitting in a simple little box is somewhat akin to a turning point. The panic fades away as though it was never even there in the first place, and she's overcome with feelings that she's tried so hard to deny in the past anything or anyone in Bluebell could make her feel.

"It's alright if you don't like it all that much, I just -" Her eyes dart up to his face, realizing she's been quiet for a while now and he stops mid-sentence, only to continue when she still can't quite seem to get any words out.

"It's hard to know what you want" He shrugs as he rubs the back of his neck. "It just reminded me of the ones you always wear and the lady in Mobile said…" He trails off, clearing his throat. She feels those damn butterflies again as she recognizes that the way you feel about a place, a person, or in this case both, can change in an instant. Because while Wade and her might never agree on which movies to go see or have differing opinions on how romantic orange picking was, they might be exactly what the other needed.

"Wade," she presses and that makes him shut his mouth and finally look at her again. He's clearly nervous, but he doesn't know that this is the sweetest thing since black and white cookies. "It's just right." His face breaks out into a smile so genuine she wants to say it again just to make him smile like that again. She has never wanted to kiss him so badly. She quickly pulls at the collar of his shirt and she hopes she can show him even half of what this all means to her. She places the box on her bedside table as her other hand deftly grabs at the buttons he didn't let her get through the first time.

"Anyway, we can pretend you don't like it if you want. I can give you this one thing I know for sure you'll love." He says suggestively before his mouth is back on hers. He grips her hips and she giggles as she falls against the pillows and pulls him down with her.

Yes_, home_ definitely isn't New York anymore she recognizes as she reacquaints herself with the muscles on his back while sliding his shirt off his shoulders. It's Bluebell, where the blazing sun during heatwaves only reminds her of how it has tanned his skin.


End file.
